Wetpixel D7000 housing review

Belgian manufacturer Hugyfot has a well-earned reputation for doing things a little differently to most manufacturers. Their D7000 housing certainly bears this out. The housing is smaller than most, and has curves where other have corners. Most people’s immediate reaction is that it a good looking housing, less boxy, more curved and more “camera shaped” than most others. It was released in July 2011, and Wetpixel were supplied with a review model early in 2012. To my lasting shame, it has taken this long to finish diving and reviewing this housing, and I should immediately recognize the patience shown by Pascal Eeckhoudt of Hugyfot and Andy Fenn of UK importer Blue Orb and register my official apologies for the delay in the process.

Hugyfot has used the marketing line “fits like a glove” for some time, and their housings certainly seem to be snug fits.

The D7000 housing has several new (for Hugyfot) features that will no doubt now be carried forward into its next generation of housings. One of the unique features that come as standard with all their housings is the HugyCheck system. This consists of a bulkhead in the housing with a one-way valve, an internal electronic pressure sensor with indicator lights and a vacuum pump. The idea is that once the camera and lens have been mounted in the housing, the user uses the vacuum pump to lower the pressure inside the housing. When it has reached a set level, the indicator light goes from a red flashing LED to a green one. This gives a visual indication of the housing’s integrity, and should help prevent floods. It is worth noting that although Hugyfot are the only manufacturer that fit this as standard in all their housing, there are after-market versions available for other brands of housing.

HugyCheck bulkhead.

In the case of the D7000, Hugyfot have elected to offer fiber optic triggering of strobes. This has presented several design challenges. The traditional position of the HugyCheck indicator lights was on the camera’s hot shoe as this is visible through the rear window. With fiber optic triggering mandating the use of the camera’s pop-up flash, an alternative mounting system was needed. In addition, Hugyfot has previously not used a camera saddle for attaching the camera within the housing, simply using a bolt in a fixed base plate to secure it. Both of these have caused some fairly comprehensive redesigning of the housing.

Starting on the left hand side of the housing, there are rotary knobs for lens release and zoom/focus control. Tucked just behind the lens release knob is a lever that controls focus mode and above it a red button for focus area selection.

Above all of these and on the curved shoulder of the housing is a button that activates the pop-up flash and (when used in conjunction with a command dial) also the flash’s output. Towards the rear is another longer lever that is pushed forward for image review and above it, is the bulkhead for the HugyCheck.

On the rear of the housing itself is a knob that controls mode (there is no release mode control), and a series of vertically oriented buttons that access delete, menu, white balance, ISO and image quality functions. Moving rightwards, is the main window and viewfinder. The review housing was equipped with the standard Hugyfot viewfinder, although it can be fitted with Inon or other brand straight and 45° versions. To the right of the viewfinder is a lever that activates the camera’s Live View and then 5 buttons that control the multi selector. Below these is a well positioned button for the Info button.

Moving further right, but still on the rear of the housing, is the sub command dial knob and then two levers, one for the AF lock, and the other for the video record on/off. Moving forward again are slots that allow for the attachment of a “hand strap.” Above these is a window that allows the user to view the control panel LCD. This is a feature that is missing from many housings, and although there are work-a rounds involving the info button or on/off switches available, being able to view this is a significant advantage.

Just above and left of this is a lever that allows the pop-up flash to be depressed and in front of the window are two buttons for metering mode and EV compensation and a lever for camera on/off.

Below and to the right of this is a know for the main command dial, with a large shutter release lever located in a recess on the front right hand.

On top of the flash housing is a 25mm ball attachment point and Nikonos 5 pin and fiber optic bulkheads.

The housing is supplied with two handles, that slot into a dovetail groove on the bottom of the housing.

On top of the handles are a further two 25mm ball attachment points for strobes, arms or lights. Once arms etc. are attached, there is a significant “spring” in the handles. Given that there is only one ball for attaching strobes etc directly to the housing, the handles can end up with a lot of leverage and weight on them. I think the new dovetail holds them very securely, so the movement is transmitted into the handles themselves. The balls are attached with Nylok nuts that seemed to come undone quite easily and repeatedly during our testing. This could be solved with a dose of Loctite of course.

Hugyfot ports attach with a simple bayonet, and do not have any port lock. The HugyCheck system renders the need for this somewhat superfluous, however it does not prevent the port being inadvertently disengaged whilst getting in the water or during a dive.

Internally, the housing’s compact proportions are very obvious, with what space there is around the housing being occupied with controls or circuitry. Hugyfot provide TTL wiring for electronic strobe triggering as standard and this and the HugyCheck means that there are quite a few internal circuits.

The housing is supplied with removable hot shoe wiring for electronic TTL triggering, and this has the conventional HugyCheck LED array on it.

If fiber optic is being used to trigger the strobes though, an additional pair of LED lights is situated below the camera base plate.

The base plate itself has a wonderfully machined aluminum dovetail. Quite simply the nicest design that I have seen. The HugyCheck is powered by a battery that is located under the base plate on the right hand side.

Somewhat uniquely, the housing closes with two Allan headed bolts, rather than the more conventional latches. A (supplied) Allan key is required to open and close the housing.

In use.

Setting up this housing is somewhat different to most others! In the case of the Tokina 10-17mm, Hugyfot’s excellent zoom gear slips on to the lens. It has a soft silicon rubber skirt that gently compresses and holds in place on the lens barrel.

However, in order to get the lens (with zoom gear attached) in, the camera must be mounted first, and then the lens added from the “front” of the housing. This means dismounting the port in order to do so. The camera mounts very securely onto the baseplate and the battery for the HugyCheck is inserted. The rear of the housing is than attached and the bolts holding it in place are tightened.

Once the housing is closed, the HugyCheck pump is pushed against its bulkhead, and the pressure lowered in the housing until the green light replaces the red one. These flash, so are quite visible.

If electronic strobe triggering is being used, the lights will be on the hot shoe, if fiber optic strobe triggering, they are visible on the base plate. Sticking with fiber optic strobe triggering for a minute, it is critical that the user tests to see whether the pop-up flash will elevate fully. On the review housing, the wiring from the Nikonos bulkhead could prevent the flash from fully deploying, and hence would not function. This was frustrating as opening the housing, correcting the problem and then re “HugyChecking” it is a lengthy procedure.

In general, I found the process of getting the camera in and out of the housing (which needs to be dome for battery/card changes or to exchange lenses) is a significantly more complicated process. If you are the type of photographer that tends to not open housings very often, this is fine. If you tend to change lenses, cards or batteries between dives, the process is a tad too long winded.

Against this, the Hugycheck does provide some reassurance that the housing is likely sealed and hence unlikely to flood.

David Kneale, who owns a Hugyfot 7D housing, used the D7000 and commented:

“The first thing you notice about Hugyfot housings is their ergonomic design; no sharp edges or needless bulk; which makes the whole package sit comfortably in the users hands even if using thick gloves.

Having experienced, on the day, another diver flood his housing, the Hugycheck system is, to my mind, worth its weight in gold. The certainty and confidence that it provides reduces to zero one of the main stresses experienced by underwater photographers.

Even though the housing itself is a sleek matt black, I particularly like how all the controls and levers are a different color to the housing as this makes it easier to use, particularly where it matters: Underwater.

The only gripe I have is that the shutter speed control is not easily usable without taking your hand off the housings handle. I would prefer this control to be configured so that, like the aperture control, it can be used whilst looking through the viewfinder. This may be possible for those who only dive in warm waters without gloves but not on dives where thick gloves are required.”

Controls are in general well spaced and buttons far enough apart to work well with gloves on. The focus area control button is a tad obscured by the lens release knob. Given that underwater the focus control is far more important than the lens release, the oversize control for the latter seems a bit counter intuitive!

With my hands on the grips, I can reach shutter and main command dial, but not sub command dial.

Hand position when accessing the sub command dial.

I found that when using the grips, and even with the right had grip in as close as possible, I have to move my hands significantly to access the command dials. I could reach either main dial and shutter release or sub command dial, but not all three simultaneously as the latter is set quite far towards the center of the housing. This meant that I had to remove my eye from the viewfinder to adjust my shutter speeds.

I discussed this with Pascal and Andy at the London Dive Show, and they suggested that rather than holding the grip, I should use the hand strap. This threads through slots in the right hand side of the housing.

It certainly brings the hand in much tighter against the housing. It is possibly my lack of familiarity, but I still found that my thumb did not reach the sub command dial. I also found that in order to adjust strobe settings for example, I had to remove my hand from the hand strap, and getting it back in correctly can be awkward.

Hand strap.

The strap holds your hand in much tighter to the housing.

The shutter release is an elegantly curved long metal lever, which sits very neatly in a recess machined into the housing. The length of the lever makes it very sensitive and it was easy to feel the AF and shutter even with the tweaky D7000. I found that, with thick gloves on, the recess made it hard to locate the lever, and was frustrated at times when I actually had to look for it rather than find it simply by feel. Again, it should be pointed out that familiarity may well cure this.

The housing is very compact and this means that it is a tad negative. It needed 6 Stix float segments to be neutral in fresh water with Hugyfot’s 174mm (7”) acrylic dome. This is of course offset by it’s packed size, which with the handles removed, is significantly smaller than most other housings.

I mentioned above that I found the addition of the control panel LCD to be a great feature. Subal and Hugyfot are the only two housings reviewed that have this so far.

Conclusion.

Hugyfot represent the most radically different design so far reviewed. As is the case with the other D7000 housings reviewed, Hugyfot have done some radical innovations with this housing, which have improved its performance over that of its predecessors. The layout of the controls on the housing is generally good, although accessing key exposure controls can be awkward. HugyCheck will be something you either swear by, or cannot see the point of. For those that perceive its advantages, its inclusion as standard in this housing may well be a key selling point.

The Hugyfot D7000 housing retails at £2,219.60 including UK VAT.

FTC Disclosure. The Hugyfot D7000 housing and port were loaned by Hugyfot via their UK distributors Blue Orb for this review. As mentioned in the introduction, the review has taken longer than planned, so many thanks again (and apologies) to Pascal Eeckhoudt and Andy Fenn for their assistance.

That's cool, then it will be complete. However I'd prefer the same review for the D800...
Just joking :-)Posted by Andrej Belic on 2012-07-19 18:13:46

I do agree that the review has not been comparative...yet! The logistics of getting this number of housings together and then diving them has proved fairly difficult and time consuming. As far as I am aware it is also unique.
I do feel that any comparisons should only be drawn after the final housing is reviewed. In this case, I am currently diving the Seacam D7000, and once I have finished that will draw together some comparisons between the various models.
Stay posted:)Posted by Adam Hanlon on 2012-07-19 16:53:45

"I have the perfect solution for You. Buy 10 housings with ports, etc. make a review on Your own and afterwards sell those that You don’t need or throw them away or do whatever pleases You most.
This is the most comprehensive review You’ll get in this small, but global industry :-)))"
If I had a name for myself in the underwater photo world then maybe someone would let me review their housings (like they let Adam).
I am not saying this isn't a good collection of reviews. But I just wouldn't name this article "A hands-on comparative review of housings for the Nikon D7000". The key word in there being... comparative... which this is not.Posted by JKrumsick on 2012-07-19 14:05:38

Thank you Adam for taking your time and continuing the effort of bringing useful information to wetpixelers!
As said with the Subal, wetpixel was also fortunate (maybe unfortunate :-p ) to have a preview of hugy D7000 in july 2011. Interested readers may find useful information there too:
http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42361
My D7000 housing was one of the first ones and does not have the new tray system and that allows me to take the camera in/out with any lens on.
About "In general, I found the process of getting the camera in and out of the housing (which needs to be dome for battery/card changes or to exchange lenses) is a significantly more complicated process", it is not necessary to take the camera out of the housing to change cards and hugycheck IS NOT MANDATORY, it is just an option you can dive without and then you are just as safe as with any of the other housings (I use HC and alarm on my D7000 but I don´t even use the alarm on my D300 and D200 housings (too lazy to buy a battery and trustful enough)Posted by davichin on 2012-07-19 04:49:43

I have the perfect solution for You. Buy 10 housings with ports, etc. make a review on Your own and afterwards sell those that You don't need or throw them away or do whatever pleases You most.
This is the most comprehensive review You'll get in this small, but global industry :-)))Posted by Andrej Belic on 2012-07-19 04:38:55

While I appreciate the reviews of these housings... it is much more a collection of separate reviews of housings rather than a compare and contrast... which I think is what I want to read. I really feel that the omission of comparisons between housings is painfully obvious.Posted by JKrumsick on 2012-07-18 21:46:23

Hugyfot review should be live in the next week, Seacam likely in the next two to three!Posted by Adam Hanlon on 2012-04-04 05:02:16

Would be good to see other significant housings reviewed too eg Hugyfot and SeacamPosted by MichaelG on 2012-04-04 04:57:17

Oh you missed out the Seacam...what a shame :)Posted by JACohen on 2012-04-03 08:31:14

This may give a clearer picture of some of the D7000 Ikelite controls at the back:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fttpwwwflickrcomalbert/6460621581/in/photostreamPosted by albert kok on 2011-12-05 12:08:06

Just a follow up on my last comment on the Ikelite housing review. Just to get things right! On picture 6 showing the flat backside of the housing the left and right red arrows point to the LIVE View on/of switch, and video record on/of respectively (controlled by the right thumb). On picture 7 the red arrow points to the LIVE View on/of switch (NOT the AE/AF lock switch). The AE/AF lock switch (also controlled by the right thumb) is at the right side of the main body and can be seen on picture 8. Hope I am right! CheersPosted by albert kok on 2011-11-30 12:20:37

Hi, bought the D7000 last week, so I changed my mind! (see my earlier somewhatsceptical comment 3).
I agree with eleung (see comment 9)
that in the 6th picture shown in the Ikelite review the red arrows pointing at the AE/AF lock and LV lever switches should be the other way around. The AE/AF lock switch is located at the right side of the main housing body and can controlled by the right thumb, like in the D90 housing. I assigned the AF-ON function to this switch to avoid the akward focusing with the shutter release button.Posted by albert kok on 2011-11-29 12:11:41

good and comprehensive. Pity you were not able to review the Seacam as well...Posted by leonandclaudia on 2011-10-27 18:54:02

Hi
This comment relates to an old problem with Nikon D80 and D90 camera's fitted in the Ikelite housings. The 'bent wire' control of Ikelite does no seem to align 100% with the centre of the silvery Nikon shutter release button. The Nikon button is rather fragile (plastic?) and has the reputation to break off in Ikelite housings. The solution could be that Ikelite provides better rubber control tips for their shutter release control in their accessory package.Posted by albert kok on 2011-10-26 12:36:36

Very nice compilation. Maybe a conclusion might be added, or even a Seacam D7000 review, if possible in near future.Posted by Andrej Belic on 2011-10-26 05:40:37

The "Subal sync cord plugs" that were raved about in the article are a part from 10Bar in China and have been readily available for a couple of years now.Posted by JackConnick on 2011-10-25 18:02:42

Finally Nexus release D7000 housing.
Very light weight only 2.1kg on land and include AE/AF lock switch.
http://www.anthisnexus.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=401Posted by cyj2371 on 2011-10-01 02:57:40

today i checked the ikelite housing for d7000. Looks like the picture shown here as 'AE/AF lock' switch is the LV lever switch. While there is a lever that can be used to access the 'AE/AF lock', which is on the main housing bodyPosted by eleung on 2011-08-09 12:39:53

Adam and WP Reviewers,
Thank you for taking the time to review the Sea and Sea MDX-D7000 housing. We really appreciate it and your feedback. It will help us as we constantly try to produce better products.
I think the Wetpixel readers will enjoy your very candid and straight forward evaluation of our housing as well as the other mfr's.
I did however want to add that I have large hands (gloves XL) and use fairly thick 5mm gloves here in California and had no trouble at all accessing controls due to clearance between the housing and controls. You are right about not being able to reach the shutter speed dial at the same time as shutter release and aperture control though. Even for me with XL hands, that's a stretch. In fast shooting situations (shark feeds, sea lions, etc.) I find that I need shutter speed control more than aperture, so when shooting wide angle with Nikons, I switch the command dial and sub command dial, so that the vertical dial on the Sea and Sea housing (easily reachable with hand on shutter release) can be controlled along with shutter release while looking through the viewfinder.
This brings me to your very appropriate point about ergonomics.. ....We all do it differently!
Again we at Sea and Sea appreciate you taking the time and your feedback.
Almost forgot...The Sea and Sea fiber L cables are real tight in Sea and Sea housings! I guess we need to get Inon and Sea and Sea to mfr. the same diameter on the ends. LOL! if only it were that easy...:)Posted by asallmon on 2011-08-08 16:07:34

Thanks for the great review. The new housing have really improved over previous generations.Posted by Don in Colorado on 2011-07-22 20:08:52

love the reviews so must...can't wait to see s&s;, subal may be seacam also review soonPosted by ckchong on 2011-07-10 05:04:15

Thanks..I already suspected that the D7000 would not fit in the D90 Ike housing (we had the same problem some years ago with the transition from D80 to D90) I think that for me the two major improvements, the higher ISO performance and having more mexapixels are not convincing enough to jump to the new system..I also feel that the lense may be more important for satisfactory results than the body..Posted by albert kok on 2011-07-08 14:23:56

Al, no your D90 is to different to fit into a D7000 housings. the Nikon D7000 is a stunningly improved camera, granted, what is behind the mask in general, has generally more impact than the gear itself, still for someone looking for a new system of graduating from an older than D90 camera, it does make a lot more sense to move to the D7000 instead.Posted by Viz'art on 2011-07-07 13:19:38

Hi thanks for the review
For me the question with this new model is: does it
guarantee much better UW pictures compared with its predecessor, the Nikon D90? I doubt it. In addition, a new camera also means a new housing. That is, I assume that the D7000 will not fit in the Ikelite D90 housing.
Cheers AlPosted by albert kok on 2011-07-07 12:41:49

On the Aquatica exposure compensation lever placement
"I find that I rarely adjust the EV underwater, and hence the easily accessible EV lever is not critical"
I feel that I should elaborate a bit more on Aquatica’s decision to locate the EV exposure compensation at its present accessible location, granted in still photography and with most of us operating the camera in manual mode anyhow, there is not much credit for making this accessible as it is, but given the high quality of video that this camera can deliver and the fact that EV compensation is the way to adjust the Video exposure on the Nikon D7000 camera, well, giving ready access to this ever made common sense.
As a side note, let me suggest to the D7000 users a good tip (no matter what housings they uses) you should explore the following Custom Setting Menu f7 feature, this allows the user to push a button and said button will stay engaged as long as you need or press another button. So when shooting video, you press the exposure compensation lever to engage the button and then you can correct the exposure while shooting video without having to press down on the button/lever all the time.
This f7 features is very handy as well for all other buttons, you don’t have to keep your finger on a button, hold the housing steady and rotate a command dial at the same time. ISO, Quality, WB and AF pattern modes are but a few of the features that would benefit from this.Posted by Viz'art on 2011-06-28 13:22:45

Great review. Very timely considering my query on the DSLR forum. Thanks for taking the time to put good info out to us.
MattPosted by Longimanaus on 2011-06-28 08:10:56

Good review Adam. I would like to see it updated with a review of the new Sea & Sea MDX-D7000 housing as it's a significant departure for Sea & Sea.Posted by JackConnick on 2011-06-27 11:17:39

Great review Adam. Well done sir.Posted by Steve Williams on 2011-06-26 20:02:46